Graphic Design and Illustration Concentration
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
School of Visual Art and Design
Bulletin Year: 2026-2027
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Important: This course plan is a recommended sequence for this major. Courses designated as
critical (!) may have a deadline for completion and/or affect time to graduation. Please see
the program notes section for details regarding “critical courses” for this particular Program of Study.
Semester One (17 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| ! |
ENGL 101 |
Critical Reading and Composition (CC-CMW) |
3 |
C |
|
|
| |
|
Carolina Core ARP Requirement (CC-ARP) |
3 |
|
|
|
| |
ARTS 103 or ARTS 104 |
Fundamentals of Art or 3-Dimensional Design (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
|
| |
ARTS 102 |
Design Technology and Concepts (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
|
| |
|
Foreign language3 or other Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC-GFL) |
3 |
|
|
|
Semester Two (16-17 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| ! |
ENGL 102 |
Rhetoric and Composition (CC-CMW, CC-INF) |
3 |
C |
|
C or better in ENGL 101 |
| |
|
Carolina Core ARP Requirement (CC-ARP) |
3 |
|
|
|
| |
ARTS 103 or ARTS 104 |
Fundamentals of Art or 3-Dimensional Design (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
|
| |
ARTH 106 |
History of Western Art II (CC-AIU) |
3 |
C |
|
|
| |
|
Foreign language3 or other Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC-GFL) |
3 |
|
|
|
Semester Three (14-15 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| |
ARTS 245 |
Typographic Design I (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 102 |
| |
ARTS 265 |
Illustration I (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 102 & in 111 or 230 |
| |
|
Foreign language3 or Carolina Core Requirement4 (CR/CC) |
3 |
|
|
|
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC) |
3-4 |
|
|
|
Semester Four (17 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| ! |
ARTS 246 |
Typographic Design II (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
|
| |
ARTS 266 |
Illustration II (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 265 |
| |
|
ARTH Course (CR) |
3 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
Social Science (CR) |
3 |
|
|
|
| |
|
History5 (CR) |
3 |
|
|
|
Semester Five (14-15 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| ! |
ARTS 345 |
Visual & Verbal Interaction (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 245 & 246 |
| |
ARTS 347 |
Interaction Design (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 245 & 246 |
| |
Modern Art History Course |
ARTH 335 History of 20th Century Art or ARTH 341 History of American Art II or ARTH
342 Contemporary American Art or ARTH 535 History of Modern Painting or ARTH 536 History
of Modern Sculpture or ARTH 537 Topics in Modern Architecture or ARTH 539 Topics in
Modern Art or ARTH 545 Special Topics in Modern Chinese Art (CR) |
3 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC) |
3-4 |
|
|
|
Semester Six (14 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| ! |
ARTS 346 |
Process and Systems (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 345 |
| |
ARTS 465 |
Advanced Illustration for Design I (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 266 |
| |
SVAD 499 |
School of Visual Art and Design Internship6 (MR) |
3 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 246 |
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 or Elective7 (CC/PR) |
3 |
|
|
|
Semester Seven (14 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| |
|
Concentration Elective8 (200-level and above) (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
Concentration Elective8 (200-level and above) (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
ARTH Course (500-level and above) (CR) |
3 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 or Elective6 (CC/PR) |
3 |
|
|
|
Semester Eight (12-14 Credit Hours)
| Critical |
Course Code |
Subject and Title |
Credit Hours |
Min. Grade1 |
Major GPA2 |
Prerequisites |
| |
ARTS 448 |
Portfolio Studio (MR/CC-INT) |
4 |
C |
|
C or better in ARTS 346 |
| |
|
Concentration Elective8 (200-level and above) (MR) |
4 |
C |
|
See Bulletin listing |
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 (CC) |
3 |
|
|
|
| |
|
Carolina Core Requirement4 or Elective6 (only if needed to meet CC requirements or hours to graduate) (CC/PR) |
1-3 |
|
|
|
Graduation Requirements Summary
| Minimum Total Hours |
Minimum Major Requirements Hours |
College and Program Requirements Hours |
Carolina Core Hours |
Minimum Institutional GPA |
| 120 |
63 |
15-25 |
32-44 |
2.000 |
- Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.000 cumulative
GPA.
- Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses. Courses indicated in this column
are included in the major GPA for this program of study.
- Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate
proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit
or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
- The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina
undergraduate students.
- The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S.
History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses.
Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled
through this college requirement.
- While students may take SVAD 499 for up to 9 credit hours, only 3 hours are required
for the concentration.
- No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may
apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. The
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on
elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from
the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.
- Concentration Electives (12 hours): Choose 3 ARTS, MART or SVAD courses at the 200-level or above. At least one must
be from the following: ARTS 241, 316, 445, 446, 466; SVAD 499, 500.
Program Notes
- ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 must be completed in the student’s first 60 semester hours of
work in order for these courses to be credited toward graduation. Other courses identified
as “critical” may affect time to graduation due to prerequisite requirements for subsequent
required courses.
- All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing
grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement
in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
- The last 30 credit hours toward your degree must be earned in residence at the University
of South Carolina-Columbia.
Code Definitions
University Requirements: Bachelor’s degree-seeking students must meet Carolina Core (general education) requirements.
| Code |
Definition |
| CC |
Carolina Core |
| CC-AIU |
Carolina Core – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding |
| CC-ARP |
Carolina Core – Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving |
| CC-CMS |
Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component |
| CC-CMW |
Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written Component |
| CC-GFL |
Carolina Core – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language |
| CC-GHS |
Carolina Core – Historical Thinking |
| CC-GSS |
Carolina Core – Social Sciences |
| CC-INF |
Carolina Core – Information Literacy |
| CC-INT |
Carolina Core – Integrative Course |
| CC-SCI |
Carolina Core – Scientific Literacy |
| CC-VSR |
Carolina Core – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility |
| CR |
College Requirement |
| MR |
Major Requirement |
| PR |
Program Requirement |
Disclaimer: Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a
program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application
of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for
upcoming semesters.